Mold-cleaner for cigarette-filling machines.



PATBNTED 001?. 9, 1906. F.J.LUDINGTON. MOLD CLEANER FOR CIGARETTE FILLING MACHINES.

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No. 832,686. PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906. F. J. LUDINGTON.

MOLD CLEANER FOR CIGARETTE FILLING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 23, 1905.

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F. J. LUDINGTON. MOLD CLEANER FOR CIGARETTE FILLING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22. 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

FRA'NK J. LUDINGTON, 0F WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

MOLD-CLEANER FOR CIGARETTE-FILLING MACHINES- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 23,1905. Serial No, 293,072.

Patented Oct;'9, 1-9663 all To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK J. LUDINGTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at 63 Bank street, l/Vaterbury, county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mold-Cleaners for Cigarette-Filling Machines, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The resent invention relates to that class of mac ines which is employed to insert the tobacco-fillers in the paper tubes or shells which form the wrapper of the cigarette. In such machines a mold is commonly provided to which tobacco is supplied in suitable quantity to form a single filler, and after it is compressed in the mold by suitable means a plunger is commonly moved longitudinally through the mold to force the filler therefrom into the cigarettetube. The tobacco is always manipulated in a moistened condition and sticks somewhat to the walls of the mold, depositing thereon a gummy matter which accumulates if not removed and renders it increasingly diflicult to push the filler from the mold into the tube or shell, which tends to crush the filler.

The object of the present invention is to furnish a means of cleaning out the mold and, if necessary, lubricate the same after each filler is removed therefrom, so that the deposit may not accumulate upon the walls of the mold, and the fillers may therefore be discharged freely therefrom and deposited with greater facility in the paper tubes. This is effected by furnishing the forward end of the plunger with a circular swab adapted to cleanout the mold as the plunger moves through the same and providing means to brush or clean off the swab and, if desired, to apply an oil or otherlubricant thereto'for lubricating the walls of the mold. Any suitable mechanism may be provided to thus clean or lubricate the swab, the means illustrated herein consisting of means for rotating the swab, a rotary brush mounted upon a swing frame movable to and from the swab when it is retracted from the mold, a lubricating-roller with oil-font adjacent to the brush, and means for moving the brush alternately into contact with the lubricatingroll and the swab. Such cigarette-machines are'always provided with a driving-shaft, and the rotation of the plunger to turn around the swab and the oscillation of the swinging frame are effected by cams upon the driving-shaft, which operate these parts in unison with the filler-forming devices.

The invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of a cigarete-filling machine, showing only the parts required to operate the present improvements. Fig. 1 shows the forward end of the plunger with the swab in section, the view being on a larger scale than the remaining figures. Fig. 2 is a plan of the brush-operating devices with the brush applied to the swab. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same devices; and Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the means for operating the brush, the oil-font being shown in section.

A designates the bed of the machine; B, the driving-shaft thereon; O, the channel forming the lower half of the filler-mold, and D the reciprocating presser, which presses the tobacco into such channel and forms the u per wall of the mold, as shown in Fig. 4. T e

channel 0 is shown at one side of a seat E, upon which a charge of tobacco may be deposited and forced toward the channel by a slide F.

G is a nozzle at one end of the mold to receive the paper cigarette tube or shell H,

which is held thereon in the ordinary manner by clamps I during the filling operation. The

plunger J when retracted closes one end of the channel C opposite the nozzle 'G, and when moved forward, as shown in Fig. 2, it pushes the filler first into the cigarette-tube and finally discharges the tube from the nozzle, as shown in Fig. 2. The means for forming the filler is wholly immaterial to the pres ent invention, which relates to the swab upon the plunger and means for cleaning the same. The plunger is shown with swab a, which may consist, as shown in Fig. 1, of a piece of plush secured, as by sewing, in a groove J upon the forward end of the plunger. A small portion of the plunger extends beyond the swab to remain in the end of the channel C when the swab is retracted for cleaning, as shown in Fig. 3.

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The revolving brush 6 has its shaft mounted upon a frame 0, which is shownhinged upon the shaft d, mounted in a stand f.' A spring g, applied to the frame, presses the brush I; normally toward the plunger J, and a 1 rod h, actuated by a came 7', operates at times to retract the brush from the plunger. A set-screw c regulates the movement of the brush toward the plunger under the influence IIO of the spring g.

mounted therein, and its shaft Z provided with a gear g. The shaft of the brush is provided with a gear 1). The lubricating-roll is provided with a scraper m to regulate the adhesion of the oil or other lubricant to the roll. The shaft (1 is rotated by a pulley n and any suitable connections, and a gear 0, attached to the shaft, is connected by intermediates with the gears 19 and g upon the brush-shaft. The brush and roll Z are continuously rotated, and the cam portion & operates upon the swing-frame to press the brush against the roll lfor a brief period to-receive a charge of oil or lubricant therefrom. The portion 9' of the cam operates to hold the brush clear of both the roll Z and the plunger while the latter is moving in the mold, and the space a between the ends ofthe cam portions 'i 7' permits the spring to press the brush against the swab when outsideof the 'mold, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. To rotate the plunger while reciprocating through the mold and also to turn the swab in contact with the cleaningbrush, a spindle r is attached to the plunger and splined to slide through a sleeve 8, which is mounted in a bearing p upon the bed A.

I The sleeve is provided with a pinion u, and a segmental rack is attached to an arm 1/, having a roll w actuated by a roll w upon the driving-shaft 1). Such cam oscillates the arm and moves the rack and the pinion u to turn the spindle and plunger at a suitable time. A swivel-collar L is fitted to the sleeve between shoulders L upon the same, and such collar serves by links M, a forked lever N, and a cam P upon the driving-shaft to reciprocate the sleeve and plunger as required. The plunger is shown in Fig. 1 wholly retracted, and a dotted line N shows the position of the lever N when the shoulder is moved through the mold.

Devices for reciprocating the plunger are old, and the present invention consists is so constructing the reciprocating devices that the plunger may be rotated when retracted from the mold to clean the brush or maybe rotated in the mold to more effectually swab out its inner walls. It will be observed in Fig. 2 that the swab a passes entirely through the mold C and the nozzle G in discharging the filler and pushing the cigarette-tube from the nozzle, and the mold and nozzle are thus thoroughly cleaned at each movement of the plunger. Irrespective of lubrication the brush b is adapted to brush off and cleanse the surface of the swab when retracted from the mold; but a small amount of suitable oil applied to the swab prevents the gummy deposit from adhering to the walls of the mold and facilitates the discharge of the tobaccofiller therefrom. It is obvious that the pinion and sleeve 8 may be rotated by a straight reciprocating rack, as well as by a segmental An oil-font 7c is set adjacent I to the swing-frame and a lubricating-roll l,

rack, the latter being employed as a convenient construction. It will also be understood that instead of connecting the plunger with the sleeve by a spline and key it may be made square or other polygonal form, so as to be capable of rotating with the sleeve and sliding therein. I have therefore claimed means for revolving the plunger irrespective of the articular mechanism used.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed herein is 1. In a cigarette-filling machine, the combination, with the mold for forming the filler, means for supporting the cigarette-tube, and a plunger to force the filler into the tube, of a swab upon'the plunger to clean out the mold at each movement of the plunger.

2. In a cigarette-filling machine, the com bination, with the mold for forming the filler, means for supporting the cigarette-tube, and a plunger to force the filler into the tube, of a swab upon the plunger to clean out the mold at each movement of the plunger, and means for revolving the swab.

3. In a cigarette-filling machine, thecombination, with the mold for forming the filler, means for supporting the cigarette-tube, and a plunger to force the filler into the tube, of a swab upon the plunger to clean out the mold at each movement of the plunger, means for revolving the plunger, and means for ap lying a lubricant to the swab upon the p unger when revolved.

4. In a cigarette-filling machine, the combination, with the mold for forming the filler, means for supporting the cigarette-tube, and a plunger to force the filler into the tube, of a swab upon the plunger to clean out the mold at each movement of the plunger, means for revolving the plunger, and a rotary brush with means for pressing the same upon the swab when the plun er is revolved.

5. In a cigarette-filling machine, the combination, with the mold for forming the filler, means for supporting the cigarette-tube, and a plunger to force the filler into the tube, of a swab upon the plunger to clean out the mold at each movement of the plunger, means for revolving the plunger, and a rotary brush with means for supplying oil to the same and pressing the brush upon the swab whenrevolved.

6. In a cigarette-filling machine, the combination, with the mold for forming the filler, means for supporting the cigarette-tube, and a plunger to force the filler into the tube, of a spindle attached to the plunger, a sleeve splined upon the spindle, means for rotating the sleeve, and means for reciprocating the spindle within the rotating sleeve.

7. In a clgarette-filling machine, the combination, with the mold for forming the filler, means for supporting the cigarette-tube, and a plunger to force the filler into the tube, of a spindle attached to the plunger, a sleeve splined upon the spindle, means for rotating the sleeve, means for reciprocating the spindle within the rotating sleeve, a swab upon the forward end of the plunger, and a revolving brush with means for pressing it upon the swab when retracted from the mold.

8. In a cigarette-filling machine, the combination, with the mold for forming the filler, means for supporting the cigarette-tube, and a plunger to force the filler into the tube, of a spindle attached to the plunger, a sleeve splined upon the spindle with a pinion upon the sleeve, a bearing to hold the sleeve rotatably, a rack operating upon the pinion to rotate the sleeve, means for reciprocating the spindle within the rotating sleeve, a swab upon the forward end of the plunger, and means for applying a lubricant to the swab when retracted from the mold.

9. In a cigarette-filling machine, the con1- bination, with the mold for forming the filler, means for supporting the cigarette-tube, and a plunger to forcethe filler into the tube, of a swab upon the forward end of the plunger, a swing-frame with a rotary brush adjacent to the swab when retracted from the mold, a revolvin roll and oil-fountain adjacent to the revo ving brush, and means for pressing the brush alternately upon the oiled roll and upon the revolving swab.

10. In a cigarette-filling machine, the combination, with the mold for forming the filler, means for supporting the cigarettetube, and a plunger to force the filler into the tube, of a swab upon the forward end of the plunger, a swing-frame with a rotary brush adjacent to the swab when retracted from the mold, a spring applied to the frame to press the brush toward the swab, an adjustable stop to regulate the proximity ofthe brush to the swab, a revolving roll and oil-fountain adjacent to the revolving brush, means for regulating the supply of oil to the roll, and. means for pressing the revolving brush alternately upog the oiled roll and upon the revolving swa 11. In a cigarette-filling machine, the combination, with the mold for forming the filler, means for supporting the cigarette-tube, and aplunger to force the filler into the tube with a swab upon the forward end of the plunger to clean the mold, of a suitable bed with driving-shaft for operating the ,mechanism, a swing-frame with a rotary brush adj acent to the swab when retracted from the mold, a spindle attached to the plunger, and cams upon the driving-shaft operating respectively to rotate the spindle, to reciprocate the spindle, and to move the rotary brush to and from the swab.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK J. LUDINGTON.

Witnesses:

VICTOR M. SHAW, THOMAS S. CRANE. 

